Diabolical
by SuspiciousMafioso
Summary: It is many years after Tris and her story. The whole population has been mind-wiped, starting anew. However, the power of choice has stayed the same. By that power, Marcus and Talia met. From there, it creates a whole spiral of chaos leaving with one word to describe the man Marcus becomes...diabolical. ((Based off of a Divergent RP that has been happening for over a year!))


(( **A few notes:** _The Chapter headings with the character means that it is from that character's perspective. I have already written most of the story out with a few plot holes, so if at any time you want more, just tell me!_

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The day comes with a breath of fresh air I could never have felt before in my past fifteen years of being raised Dauntless. It is new, revealing, and best of all, free.

Oh, as if I haven't felt that already. Dauntless has its mad perks, but it's a bit of a decision for me at today's Choosing Ceremony. I can't stop thinking about my aptitude test results. My gut calls for something different, but my head wants me to stay with my friends who sit right beside me on the first row of the Dauntless section. Harrison, the charmer. One of my greatest friends ever. His smile has always stayed perfect, and his maroon hair persuades everyone. He sits on my right, right where I want him. He wears a black blazer that looks real spiffy on a guy like him. On my other side is Sav. Her real name is Savvana, don't judge, but we're the greatest girlfriends each other could ask for. She's understanding. No, she's better than that: she's perfect in what feels like every single way. She wears a short black dress that frills out at the waist. She's never looked so stunning.

As for me? It's hard to look nice most days, but today I tried. Some say my black tank top is a little bit scandalous, revealing my bare shoulders, but I don't mind. They can judge, but I'll just stay the same. Not like I'd sprint to the train back to the compound to just change my shirt. My name's Talia Reynolds, so I'll be close to first. Sav's going sometime before me, and Harrison is going close to last, his last name being Gray.

Harrison throws his arm around my back. His fingers are smooth and cold. "Hey Tal, you ready?" He asks, leaning back in the chair of the auditorium of the Hub.

I shrug, looking into his kind eyes. "Yeah, of course! I was born ready!" I laugh, and he laughs too, but his laugh sounds sweeter. The din around us grows louder, but I prefer to keep my focus to the three of us. "I was never afraid of knives, and a little slit won't hurt that bad, right?"

Harrison smirks back at me, showing a glimpse of his shining canines. "Not at all. Before you know it, you'll be right back to reality, right back in Dauntless." I didn't want to mention my decision, since I haven't thought it all through yet. Like he said, you'll never even know. But do I want to be right back in Dauntless? "You'll be right here waiting, right?"

"Yeah!" I fake enthusiasm. Suddenly I feel sorry for the Candor transfers, who can't lie about how they're going to leave. "Of course I'm going to watch those coals stain with my DNA!" God, that sounded Erudite. Damn.

His eyes meet mine, an eyebrow raising. "You sure you're not Erudite?"

I honestly don't know what to say. "Born Dauntless, staying Dauntless. That's how it will be. Dauntless forever!" I plunge my fist into the air, feeling a little bit nervous.

He throws his fist up as well, and all the other Dauntless follow him. "That's the spirit, Talia!" The Dauntless shout different words of approval behind me, their voices sounding alike in theory. Some pat me on the back, even though the ceremony hasn't begun yet.

I can't help but glance past Harrison's ear at the faction dressed in black and white. Candor, ugh. Two of them are staring right at me, our eyes locking. I watch their lips move, but don't hear much. Those Candor, always speaking their mind, even if it's negative. One in the front row with a black and white fedora, points at us, and the man behind him laughs. I furrow my brow, hearing bits and pieces of what they're saying. "Those Dauntless are so rude…" the first man remarks.

"I agree, Marcus. Can't they just stop talking for just a moment?" The man behind this 'Marcus' looks very formal with an open suit that I just find intimidating. Worst of all, his chocolate hair is close to perfection, shining whenever he moves his head.

I growl, drawing Harrison's attention. "Yo Tal, what is it?"

I don't stop staring them down. I want to knock out their souls with a single punch or two. Honestly, it's simple. One swipe to the left, chuck out a couple teeth, strong kick, and just leave them crumpled on the floor begging for mercy. It's just Dauntless nature. "Them," I mutter, gritting my teeth.

Harrison peers over at the two Candor men, well, I should consider the Marcus one a boy, since he looks like he'll be choosing today.

Harrison's head twitches to the side a little, and he pulls his hand in from behind me. "Is it just me, or do I want to punch the living daylights out of them?" He cracks his knuckles and stands up.

I stand up as well and latch onto his shoulder. "Don't do it. You'll only get into more trouble. I can handle them if I need to."

Harrison shrugs and sits down. "'Kay, I'll trust you on this one…" He doesn't sound sure in his words. I'd love to walk over to them and knock them out, but I need to remember what I just said, even though it's hard to fight instinct. Plus, it'd be a pretty stupid choice as it is, and I doubt with everyone around I'd even get the opportunity to reach them.

I remain standing, hearing Sav get up from behind me. "Hey Candor, who're you callin' annoying? I'd check yourselves out before you mess with Dauntless!" I shout back, my voice echoing as just another sound in the ruckus. I don't know why, but my smile is beaming. The other Dauntless pump their fists, screaming back at the Candor as well. Perhaps I could manage to fit in in Dauntless, too. My home.

I sit down. Screaming at the top of your lungs has never been such a relief. I swing my arms around my friends, still smiling. Harrison gazes back at me. "Whew, Talia, you don't need to go through your fear landscape to be brave!" He holds his hand up, and I slap it with all my might, grasping and throwing both our hands down.

Sav grapples my beanie and shoves it over my eyes, laughing. "Guess who?"

My muscular arms wave around blindly. She's done this so many times but it's never grown old. "I know it's you, Sav! You've done this enough times for me to know who you are!" I say with a chuckle.

She lifts the beanie from my eyes messing up my almost perfect hair and readjusts it back to how it was. I've never known why I like the pattern on it so much, the way the red band compliments the blue background, and the white stars overlaying the blue seems so…awesome. So awesome that I don't mind her shoving a bit. "Heh, you got me again, Tal!"

I smile back at her. "So, are you ready with your choice?" I reminded. It's a big one. I've ruled out a couple factions already. There's no way I'd survive a week in Candor or Abnegation. Amity seems a little off, I've always thought. That leaves just Erudite and Dauntless.

"Yeah. I think I am…but I don't even know for sure." She sounds worried, like me. Well, she has a good reason, being close to first.

"Just do what feels best," I say. It does make sense.

The auditorium suddenly grows quiet in an instant. I look around, noticing all the raging Candor and Dauntless have sat down. Marcus and the other man are still whispering to one another, but Marcus seems concerned. Maybe he's going first, his last name starting with a crazy letter like Z. No, that's totally illogical. Damn, the Erudite in me kicking in again.

Ashlee Maplewood, the Erudite leader, comes to the podium. The factions tend to rotate on who hosts this event, but this year Erudite was blessed with the task, an honor not taken lightly by the leader. Her presence is a storm cloud, imposing. She clears her throat and speaks up. "Welcome to today's Choosing Ceremony," she begins, her voice clear as day. "Today is an important day for the youth of our city. Today, they will choose their factions. The future belongs to those who know where they belong." She pauses. "Remember, 'faction before blood.'" Faction before blood. The phrase echoes throughout the room. It basically means that we're supposed to put our faction before our family, even if they die in the line of fire. It sounds simple, but it isn't.

She adjusts her glasses. I notice that she does not have any notes with her. All memorization, something big in Erudite. Then she remembered everyone's names as well. It must have been a challenge, but I think I could do it if I wanted.

Harrison's eyes fall on my face instead of Ashlee. I can almost feel his gaze. "Does she freak you out or what," he whispers in my ear.

"Why do you ask?"

"It's obvious. You've been staring straight at her for a good time now."

"I have? I don't remember…"

He chuckles again. "Of course you don't remember. You're having your brain sucked out by her."

I know it was probably a joke, but you never know with someone like Ashlee. "Yeah, I better stop being drawn in," I remarked. "She's like a Venus Flytrap, I guess, luring bugs in and suddenly snapping shut, right?" Harrison weaves his fingers through my hair. "You feel me?"

"Of course I feel you, Tal. Now shut up, she's gonna' call the first name."

Ashlee sidesteps over to the center of the bowls, right behind the one filled with water, symbolizing Erudite. She keeps her chin up and stares down at us modestly. "Bree O. Wintley."

A girl in the first row of Erudite stands up in a knee-length blue dress and glasses. Like Ashlee, her hair is in a messy bun. She climbs the stairs to stand right in front of Ashlee, and Ashlee hands her a glistening knife. It must be tough going first. Not even flinching, Bree slides the edge of the blade into her palm, her right hand dripping with blood. She is sure in her decision when she lets her blood drop back into the center bowl filled with water, the bowl of her born faction. "Erudite," Ashlee announces.

The girl clasps her hands and sits back on the second row of the Erudite section. Smiles surround her from old faction members. Harrison nudges me. "That was an obvious choice for her."

I nod, and Ashlee pipes up again with a new knife in her slender hands. "Savvana C. Vanderkamp."

It's already her turn. Sav is focused and controlled when she beams back at me, stepping toward the bowls. My eyes follow her path up. "Go Savvana!" My voice couldn't control itself.

Ashlee's laser-beam eyes stare me down. The two Candor boys also pinpoint me. Savvana stops halfway and takes a deep sigh heard throughout the auditorium, her face flushing red. I did not just embarrass my best friend. The Candor boys whisper something and laugh. I can't help but scowl back.

Savvana's long black hair shimmers under the light. It's almost distracting. This is about her choice, not her hair. She grips the handle of the knife firmly, just like a Dauntless would do. Harrison and I watch impatiently. For once, he's attentive. She rocks the knife on her right palm, creating an incision as small as a paper cut, but large enough to draw blood. I notice she shuts her eyes tightly before blankly holding her hand straight in front of her. Harrison whispers something to me. "What the heck is she doing?"

I don't comment. I watch a small drop of blood fall down, splashing and creating ripples in the bowl. "Erudite," Ashlee announces.

Savvana pushes her hair over her face. Gasps come out from the crowd. Harrison and I watch her walk back to join her new Erudite classmates. What was her motive to join…Erudite? Harrison jabs me in the shoulder. "What…even…was…" he says, his mouth hung wide in shock.

I pretend like I don't know either, but my mind has already deciphered a plausible cause. "I-I…I don't even know." I push my beanie back on my head and rest my hands on my camouflage pants. "It would've made sense to go somewhere else, or even stay here, but…Erudite?" I feel comfortable mentioning Erudite. We talk through the next few initiates.

"At least I know she can survive Ashlee." Harrison doesn't seem sure in his words. It was obvious what he thought of it. Crazy. He gulps and leans back against his chair, his head directly forward. I do the same. "We'll talk about this another time."

"Dauntless," Ashlee calls. A Dauntless-born returns to a seat on the second row, directly behind me. Harrison welcomes her back with a simple head gesture and a charismatic smile. The girl's eyes open wider, and she smiles back, nodding frantically.

Ashlee commands the room, taking another knife from the Dauntless leader. "Talia C. Reynolds."

I take in a firm breath, hearing Ashlee bounce over the syllables in my name. "You'll do great, Tal," Harrison coaxes. This may be the last time I hear from him, for I know my choice won't be one he will like. He slaps me on the back, and I grin at him.

My boots clonk up the marble stairs, and I stare into Ashlee's deep blue eyes. She returns the gaze. With a subtle bend in her stance, she pushes the knife right in front of me. She doesn't smile and keeps her chin up. I feel a thousand pairs of eyes drumming down on my back. With both hands, I take the knife out of her grip. She stares back at me wistfully.

I clutch the knife in my left hand, pushing the point until my skin gives in. Blood pours out like a stream. I watch it run down the crevices in my palm, dripping softly onto the floor. My head throbs. I can almost hear Marcus the Candor boys laughing. It only fuels me harder. The laughing grows louder, and louder. I shut my eyes. The sound turns into a cacophony of voices that I cannot control. Somewhere in there I can make out Harrison's subtle tone, telling me what to do and what not to do. It sounds fiercer than I remember. The noise grows louder still, and I can't even hear my own thoughts. Blindly I thrust my hand out in front of me. My eyes stay closed as the volume grows louder in my head.

"Erudite."

The sound stops. I open my eyes. It is over. I gaze down into the center bowl, the water drowned with red. Ashlee stares into my forehead as the whispers begin from behind me. She hands me a subtle nod, and I pivot on the ball of my foot and quickly walk straight ahead. I can't help but look back at Harrison. His face reads of mostly displeasure, but I can see the understanding in his eyes.

I have to turn my head away. It is too much. I keep my head down and focus on the stairs beneath me as the next chooser is called. I turn my head toward everyone else on the second row of Erudite initiates and members. Savvana grins warmly at me. Two girls are seated on either side of her, so I take second from the end. Both seats next to me are empty. The next name is called and my hand still gushes out blood. I clasp my other hand over it with the towel they gave me, covering the wound. "Welcome to Erudite," I hear from beside me. It is Bree, the girl who went first.

"Thanks," I call back. I'm sitting on the edge of my seat and I wipe my hand on my tank top, exposed skin flapping. Pain surges up my right arm, but I've grown not to tolerate it.

Bree adjusts her black-rimmed glasses and smiles at me. "So you're Dauntless, huh?"

I shrug. "Well, I was Dauntless. Not like it's a big deal anyways."

Her smile widens. "Cool!"

"You've been an Erudite all your life. This won't be a big deal for you."

She shrugged, her head touching her shoulders. "Not as much as I hoped. You know, Ashlee Maplewood has a kid our age who's been in Erudite all her life as well. Her name's Alice, and I'm wondering if she'll be the leader when…her mother…you know…"

"Expires, we'll just say that." I know so many ways to talk about death it's not even funny. "You know Sav's also from Dauntless, right?"

She throws her light brown hair over her shoulder. "I'm Erudite, what do you think I don't know?" She flattens out her skirt while another new initiate slides past us.

Time flies when you're talking with an Erudite. Ashlee doesn't show a sign of being tired though I'm sure the ceremony had gone on for at least thirty minutes. My eyes stick on her, and my bleeding is close to stopping. This must be her twentieth knife or so, and they were already in the G's. My ears tuned in. Ashlee spoke up, "Harrison Gray."

"Exactly, there's little I don't know," Bree continued.

I push my finger to her lips without making eye contact with her. She immediately shuts up. I make my finger stay on her lipstick-covered lips as Harrison stands up to the bowls. Ashlee hands him the knife, and I see his hand swing over to the left end of the table, right above the Dauntless coals. He takes no time in decision. The blood drips on the coal, making the stones sizzle. "Dauntless," Ashlee announces.

Harrison nods and moves back to the Dauntless section, not even glancing at Sav or me. He's obviously over us. My heart sinks a little, but I don't mind it, hearing the name of who's up next. I slowly take my finger off Bree's lips, and she doesn't finish her sentence. I'd rather her not anyway.

"Marcus Everett," Ashlee commands. The first Candor man who was teasing us stands up, his face drenched in sweat. My eyes lock on his black and white fedora. He shakily stands up, nodding to the second Candor man, who mouths something back to him. Marcus smiles and approaches the bowls with a quick rhythm in his step. He wipes the sweat from his forehead and takes the knife, cringing when his hand is slit. Weak.

He waits a minute to let his nerves sink in. I fold my hands and rest my elbows on my knees, watching him intently. Finally, I spy movement of his right hand, but I can't see the hand itself. Either Amity or Erudite from my view. He takes his hand down and pushes it by his side with a sigh of relief. "Erudite."

Damn. He's with us.

Marcus tips his hat to Ashlee with his bloody hand and walks up the stairs. His black tie blows to his side with his speed. I notice the new blood stain on the rim of his hat. He folds his hands and takes a seat right next to me, staring down at the other Candor man. The other one looks up at Marcus, and they say nothing. "Ugh," he notes.

I want to ask why he's grumpy, but I'm slightly afraid, knowing he's a complete stranger to me at this point. And, he teased me. That's the largest factor. Therefore I don't say anything.

Marcus doesn't make eye contact with me at all costs. He presses the cloth firmly into his hand. I can tell he is regretting his decision already. To be truly honest, I am as well. Being with Harrison would have been great. We could have been married, and have jumped onto trains for all our lives. But, my mind pressured me into this, and I couldn't get out. Bree looks slightly less bored than I am. There was one way to make this a bit less awkward. Start a conversation. "Heard your name's Marcus, huh?" I start, hoping he would continue.

He keeps watching the bowls. His eyes are locked on Ashlee Maplewood in specific. "Yes. Marcus Everett." I rest my arms on the armrest beside me, the one Bree isn't taking. "Surprised you listened, Dauntless."

"Yeah, well…" It would be awkward sharing my aptitude with him, even though I got Dauntless.

"What I'm not surprised about is…um…" My train of thought falls off a cliff and explodes. There goes our chance of conversation.

"I know you're not surprised that I am speaking my mind. It is Candor nature, everyone knows."

Marcus bows his head. He couldn't be praying, could he? No, that was an Abnegation thing. He digs the bottom of his palm into the cloth, now drenched in his blood only.

Now, how to make this simple. I wish it was Savvana I was talking to, not this guy. "I'm Talia, nice to meet you." I throw a hand out for a handshake.

He keeps his composure well and leaves me hanging. Maybe that's another thing they don't do in Candor, but how am I supposed to know? "Pleasure's mine, Talia. Why did you choose Erudite?"

He hits me up with a tough question, but I answer it honestly, at least partially so. He would detect my lie otherwise. "I chose it because my greatest friend ever, Savvana, chose it. There's nothing too bad about it." I shrug and pull my beanie down near the edges of my bangs. "You?"

Marcus's face remains solemn. "Cole said go with my gut, therefore I did. Now, I'm here." Cole. Must be that other man that was whispering to Marcus earlier. The guy that helped tease me.

Ashlee calls out the last name as I glance down the row. There are eight new initiates, including me, Marcus, Bree, Savvana, and Alice Maplewood--Ashlee's daughter. There is also another girl I don't know, but by the look of her white-and-black dress, she was also Candor. Another Candor boy and an Amity girl sit at the other edge of the row. "Big group, huh?"

Marcus shrugs, loosening up. "I assume so." He doesn't care to look down the row. There are three Candor and three Erudite, Savvana, and me. This will be interesting. The last boy from Abnegation chooses Erudite as well. As he scoots to his new seat, Marcus meets eyes with him and says warmly, "Welcome to Erudite." I do the same, and the boy doesn't reply. Very Abnegation of him, not drawing attention to himself.

Ashlee surveys the crowd, her eyes showing no hint of fatigue. "This concludes today's Choosing Ceremony," she finalizes, stepping down from the podium. Her bun doesn't wobble as much as I'd expect with her step. Maybe because it's tacked down more than I'd notice from my view. Obviously, there's more than meets the eye.

As she crosses paths with a small black figure racing my way, I notice it's Harrison. He leaps and bounds up the stairs like a true Dauntless professional. Hard to guess he's an initiate. When he reaches my seat, it doesn't look like he's breathless. "Hey, Tal, may I talk to you for a sec?"

I eye Marcus as I squeeze by him in order to get out. I wave at him, but by his looks, he thinks I'm crazy. "Sure thing, Harr." Back at Dauntless, we always call each other by nicknames. It won't be the same with me in Erudite with Sav.

We both dash up the stairs until the angle would make a normal person dizzy. Harrison weaves his fingers through his hair and leans against the wall with the Erudite Eye on it in a thick black granite. "Why? Why, Talia? I thought you were better." His face grows stern. I've never seen him do this before. "I thought you were better than to choose Erudite." His tongue smacks against the last word like it's an insult. "Erudite, you could've chose Abnegation, or…Amity! Look at yourself," he gestures, "you're sitting next to…next to him!" He waves his hand at Marcus. "He hates us! Who's to say he won't despise you?"

"I know you're not pleased with my decision, but it's over with. You can't change it." This is terrible. I didn't like to argue with friends. It makes me feel like a traitor. Maybe that's how he sees me now. "I'm Erudite, you're Dauntless. We're alright. I know we'll be able to see each other sometime, right?"

His face remains unchanged. Harrison nods solemnly. "Fine, fine." He rests a light hand on my shoulder. My lip quivers. He can't kiss me, no. "I'm worried about you, Tal."

I feel my mouth move inside and my tongue pressing against the roof, coaxing me to say something. But I can't. Instead, I just swallow some more saliva. "Best of luck?" I ask.

"You as well." Harrison takes his hand off of my shoulder and smiles back at me. There's so many things I've never noticed about him, and most of them I'll never notice anyways, now with this new challenge of keeping grades up in Erudite. His hand slaps me on the back and it sucks out my breath for a moment. "See ya'."

He salutes back to me as he daunts down the steps and rushes to the crowd of Dauntless, new and old, who are filing out the exit. "See ya'…" I whisper, moving back towards my seat. I'll never get to see him again, will I?

Erudite? I've lost my mind, haven't I?


End file.
